It is still largely secretive, if things have even been figured out past the top guys, regarding what will happen with WWE talent when they do the brand split in July.
Category: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
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April 26, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Davy Boy Smith recovering in the hospital, UFC to be sanctioned by Nevada State Athletic Commission, more
This past week has seen Davey Boy Smith, going stir crazy in a Calgary Hospital, attempt to start battling back after the worst year in his life.
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May 30, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Return of Seth Rollins and the WWE brand split, plus tons of news
In an attempt to revitalize the ratings on Smackdown in particular, the WWE has announced both a brand split and moving Smackdown live on the USA Network on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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April 19, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Davey Boy Smith hospitalized with spinal infection, WCW Spring Stampede
The health situations involving both Davey Boy Smith and Japanese woman wrestler Emiko Kado took turns for the worst this past week.
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May 23, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE Extreme Rules preview, Vince McMahon sells portion of WWE stock, tons more
In theory, WWE interest should start picking up over the next few weeks with the Money in the Bank PPV on 6/19 from the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, SummerSlam on 8/21 from the Barclays Center, and returns of injured stars John Cena, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt and Neville as well as Brock Lesnar and theoretically Paul Heyman for some Raw shows.
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April 12, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WrestleMania 15 business, All Japan’s Tokyo Dome show
Both Davey Boy Smith and Japanese rookie woman wrestler Emiko Kado were both remaining in bad condition after an illness and in-ring injury respectively.
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May 16, 2016 Wrestling Observer newsletter: Potential UFC sale, WWE releases, plus tons of news
ESPN on 5/10 broke a story that UFC is in advanced talks to sell the company, noting at least four major bidders.
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April 5, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Wrestlemania 15 review, ESPN Outside the Lines recap, tons more
In what will likely prove to be the biggest revenue grossing pro wrestling event in history, Steve Austin regained the WWF title at Wrestlemania XV, a show far more notable for production and booking than for any of the wrestling.
The basic consensus seemed to be a mild thumbs up for the show, although the reaction to this one was all across the board as there were people who thought it was the best show in years and many who thought it was terrible. If a wrestling show is constituted by the quality of the matches from start-to-finish than this was a thumbs down show with only two good matches tops out of ten. If it’s based on surprises, booking and angles, it’s a thumbs up. If it’s based on crowd reaction to either and both, it wouldn’t be a thumbs up since only the main event had good heat and that’s with a super hype job going in. If it’s based on presenting well produced television, it would be the best wrestling PPV of the year.
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May 9, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE Payback review, Hulk Hogan suing Gawker, tons more
WWE is now claiming the start of a “new era,” based on the idea that Shane and Stephanie McMahon are going to be running Raw together, no doubt building to the inevitable battle for power. And at least at the start, it looks like HHH is sitting this one out.
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March 29, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: ESPN program on drug deaths in the pro wrestling industry, ECW Living Dangerously review, more
The 3/30 ESPN “Outside the Lines” television show one hour piece on the pro wrestling industry has become something very much talked about within an industry that seemingly only sees reporting as black and white. Either pieces are favorable, or in most cases, they are considered negative. I suspect the ESPN piece will be fair and the best of its kind.